There are issues and issues one has to confront daily. This place is a shelter , to pen them down, reflect, reform and review.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Will anyone listen , I wonder.

Yesterday we had a unique experience.

We have an
open ground in front where the road ends in acul-de-sac
and the ground starts. The ground hugs our colony periphery on
the south eastern side.

It
has been a vacant lot for ever, and the greenery is
soothing. A place for birds, and all other small animals.
We don't complain, since it gives
a lovely mini forest canopy. There was a huge well, where
children used to play, fish and swim. But 15 years back some high rise was
built on the well and a few Eucalyptus trees were planted in their compound.

There
is a nalaflowing between our colony,
and the high rise .In fact the forest cover gives a respite from thenalaoverflow and also the stench.

It is
needless to say, the high rise residents find it convenient to throw their
garbage into the mini forest, and choke thenalafrom
time to time.

Three
days back, while I was on the terrace watering the plants, I heard a loud noise,
and to my amusement saw onetree,
breaking up and falling over some compound walls, over thenala,
and lay sprawling on our part of the road.

People
who were out running, hearing the bang, were sympathetic, to find a big tree
sprawled across. It was also occupying major portion of the road,
and vehicles could not pass...

I saw the
huge canopy and I requested my domestic help
to collect the leaves as much as possible for use in the garden
as mulch, and went about my work.

The
owners of the tree immediately arranged for cutting the debris and
disposing it. It took them almost a day to cut the branches
and clean up the road, and workers were quick to finish, by
disposing it in thenala!

The
normal process could have been, to summon the lorry from Cantonment Office for
collecting the tree debris. That would have involved some expenditure.

By chance
I heard some noise, and peeped out. To my horror, smoke and flames were leaping out
of the forest ground. The flames were some 15 feet high and making
cracking noise. I rushed out and saw that, couple of workers were
watching the fire, smoking, and chatting on cell-phones.

Hearing
the commotion, the neighbours came out rushing. The fire was spreading to the
dry twigs and branches. Though it was in the direction away from our houses,
there was a danger of it coming towards our homes due to some heavy winds.
So much commotion was going on, but no one from the high rise came
forward.

They might
have been watching from their closed windows and balconies, but they
did not respond. I had to shout above the din of noise, that I am
calling the fire department and the police.

The
workers got panicky when we all shouted, and they started throwing some water.
I was shocked that in the wake of water being bought for 1000 per lorry, how
can anyone think of disposing a tree by kindling a forest fire?

They
started getting some more pipes and some small bucket to pour over the fire.
Meanwhile the green trees were fast catching the fire.

I
threatened one of the workers that we are going to catch him and hand over to
the police for starting such a fire in summer, which prompted others into
action. They stared jumping nearer to the fire area and pouring water
collected from thenala!

We were
also asking, who gave them advice to dispose of such a huge tree into
the drainage nala, they
pointed out at the high rise"sir".

Once it
came to some semblance of control, the man from the high rise in charge of such
mighty operation appeared. We lost no time in asking at his plan of setting the
neighbourhood on fire, jeopardizing our homes and trees. He coolly defended
himself by saying he never told the workers do such thing, and he only asked
them to clean.

Clean? By
throwing the tree in thenalaand
chocking it? In case of next rain, our colony will get all the mucky water! He
had no answer, but to mumble something else. I had to show restraint, and call
for his good senses and educated status(is he really educated ?), to refrain
from such careless clean ups such things. The worst is , he did not even
apologise!

I found
the workers were more responsible and doused the fire and apologised for what
happened.

Finally,
it irked me that, this is not the first time it happened. Six months
back, we were all carrying buckets of water from our homes and
dousing the fire. for almost one hour!!We did not know then,
who had lit such a fire, now we know who thinks of easy disposals!!!

Just
because, we alerted and no loss took place, does it mean we can brush it
aside?. I wish people were more responsible and realise how a small careless
thoughtless act, might develop into a disaster. And learnto avoid unnecessary loss.

We live such careless and selfish society where people don't care for the environment or other's well-being but just for themselves. You should've handed him over to the police for his careless act, at least that would make him think twice before 'disposing off' anything in future.

very glad that you brought this attitude up in this post. most city dwellers - and i use the term with some respect - have come to adopt a kind of callousness that is very worrying. whether it may injured people on the roads or waste disposal, noone wants to think through to the consequences of their actions. the anonymity of a city perhaps helps deal with the guilt. i can say this because i have been guilty of many such trespasses before i was helped by life to see what my actions were doing to the earth, the air, and the learning being put out to the next generation. thanks for highlighting this callous attitude and i hope that this post helps people change, or enable change in others.

We just don't care, Pattu! We don't care. It is way too convenient to not care. But then folks like you exist and that makes a difference. I thinks folks don't understand how easily a forest fire can start. I lived in New Mexico where this was common and I had friends who often had to pack up and leave because the fires were reaching their homes. The fires were always started by carelessness inspite of a massive state sponsored campaign and restrictions.

this is pathetic! people are not at all considerate of others. and this is not even about being considerate. this is a case of foolishness and careless attitude (not getting the right words to describe this act). good that you fought with them.

Thanks Prasad N.I am not giving up hope. There are lots of people who are caring.Only they do not come and show up . We need to keep looking , by showing our concern openly. There we fail, we are shy, to show what we actually feel.

Thanks Subhorup for the kind words. The funny thing was, after the end of the episode, I walked away, and looked up at the high rise , and saw that person, gazing down. I raised my thumb and said" sir, let us all be careful and thanks for the co-operation"I could not hear what he said, but I felt, he saw what I meant, and he is going to be a positive connection ,for future dealings in neighborhood issues. I felt good.

You might have watched the movie " I am". ( Tom Shadyac). I felt there was good connection possible.:-)

Enjoyed this story--so true about human nature and how we overlook the consequences of our actions. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Now following yours. Hope you will follow back. I look forward to reading more.

Very thoughtful post.Even I have encountered such problems.There is a vacant plot next door and the owner of the plot cleans un once in a year or so -lets the cut plants and bushes dry up and promises to remove the rubbish but tips the street urchins to stealthily burn it up.And some neighbors are also not bothered as they feel the fire will not spread to their area...I am next door so always affected and concerned.

Trying to palm the blame off on his workers? I wouldn't have much faith in such a person's character. I'd explain through a general circular to the high rise and your colony what the consequences of burning to dispose could be so that he'd hesitate to repeat his "mistake". It isn't good for the environment either.

Good post-this apathy has become an epidemic ,there are very few persons who think like you...do you think many would have cooperated with you if there had been no danger to their homes?I see this in my own locality(a very posh one);but if a drain is choked,or a pipeline bursts or water pressure is low ;nobody takes action,they all employ their own devices--none for public good...& mind you they are all high ranking professionals;yet they will not bother if the road in front of their homes is blocked by construction material or is garbage ridden....everyone looks for a safe,easy way out.

This is pathetic.... some people have no civic sense whatsoever.... pity our country doesn't have arrest-laws against chucking rubbish on the streets. Then again, if it did have such a law, 90% of our citizens would be in jail.

Surprisingly such pleads in our country fall mostly on deaf ears ..in our locality the people never give a second thought to through garbage on the road from their balconies in the darkness of the night..how people can b so selfish????there is so much lack of social responsibility among the masses..it is really painful..

Good thing the guy realised that people are watching! Reminds me of the callous attitude that people have when they spit on every floor of a building without a thought! In cities those floor landings are precious playgrounds for children and no one seems to care.Just attitude of keep my home super clean with two times sweeping and swabbing but to hell with others!Or throw plastic straws and chips packets at the spot they are consumed.Refreshing to see a post making note of such situations!